Grumpy Old Man Part 8943890349823897 Matt Lichtenwalner 6/7 '23

I think we should ban the use of the phrase "game changer" and related buzz words.

If I hear one more YouTuber talk about how this shade of yellow is a TOTAL GAME CHANGER or how the nuance of this tiny adjustment to something someone else has been doing for years "totally changes everything" I'm going to have to crush someone under my foot, and since I am not in the presence of said YouTuber - because, YouTube - that means some poor schlub is going to receive a significant dose of violence not meant for them.

I think that it would be perfectly reasonable, for example, to laugh out loud and point directly at the next person you hear say "this is a game changer". And keep laughing until they leave the room or start crying.

It's obnoxious, and it's one of those things that isn't going to change because no one will do something like what I described above.

Harumph, and get off my lawn!*

[editor's note: On the off chance that you're reading this and don't know me IRL, let me be clear: I am NOT actually advocating for violence or even actual shaming someone. I'm just being grumpy and venting about something I find utterly ridiculous and annoying.]

*That shouldn't really be a problem because I don't have a lawn. 😜

Whoa. Check that out - emoticons italicize?!

Yes. There are actually things that are game changers. Due to the fact that they actually change things significantly, they happen super rarely.

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6/7 '23 7 Comments
Of course, if someone just grabbed all the components to a board game I was playing and replaced them with some other game, I might be inclined to violence [okay, sternly worded confusion] rather than just conceding their accurate fulfilment of the phrase.
nerdsholmferret
#fair
Matt Lichtenwalner
I wholeheartedly agree. Say what you mean, don’t use buzzwords.
Lindsay Harris Friel
I honestly think it’s a kind of laziness. I don’t think that they are consciously thinking “I’ll say ‘game changer’ because that’s impactful.” I think it’s more a subconscious ‘herd mentality’ thing.

And THAT is really what’s at the core of my irritation. I dislike the “I’m just one of the Many.”

Please, people. Be weird. Let your freak flag fly. Be yourself.
Matt Lichtenwalner
When a word or phrase is overused, it becomes meaningless. Business buzzwords annoy me because they fill air without conveying useful information. The company I work for wants us to "build our own brand" internally (it's a huge company). WTF does that mean? Insta my outfits?

Two of my "brands" are Lucky Brand jeans and Trident gum so ... I am a good day for Poseidon. Neptune if you're derivative.

Buzzwords can buzz off!

[and if you are thinking of Chris Tucker as Ruby Rod in the 5th Element, that's about right ...]
Shelle Klein Houser
Absolutely.

I'm also thinking of our own Chris and his efforts a while back to replace the word 'literally' (in its legitimate usage) with the word 'figuratively' - just to fuck with people and make a point of how ridiculous the current usage of 'literally' in the vernacular du jour is.

I kinda want to go back to that.

And maybe do something similar with all these business buzz terms.
Matt Lichtenwalner
I'm literally, epically laughing my ass off right now. 😘
Shannie